Q and A

Q: During your match with Lance Cade when Stone Cold did his "boring" promo, was he distracting you or putting you off to the point you felt it affected your performance?

A: Go to Answers.com, and type in the question, "Is wrestling a Work?". Take that information and extrapolate the answer to your question.

Q: Is there really a cup under the ring in case you have to go to the toilet during a match?

A: It's a small chemical toilet, like the ones used when camping, yes.

Q: From what I can remember, you were managed by Dawn Marie, Jason, Major Gunns, and Ivory throughout your career. Can you tell us the pros and cons of working with each?

A: The only manager/valet I've had in my career were Dawn Marie and Francine. Jason was with Justin never with me. Major Gunns was acquired in an angle and later just joined my group. Ivory was again more a team mate, as part of the Hurri-League. Dawn really brought a lot of character and personally to me at a time in my career when I really needed it and was a great person to work with. Gunns played a much smaller part in my career but was very nice and fun to work with. Ivory was nuts but I mean that in a positive way; very whacky and fun.

Q: You mentioned in your last Q&A Commentary that your wife has no interest in wrestling. Since it was your career, did you ever find her not liking it caused a strain on your relationship, or did you just keep most wrestling related things to yourself? I would just imagine it might be hard going to shows, or spending 2-3 hours watching events all the time when you could be spending that time with her. Thoughts?

A: She just didn't care for it. If she came to a show she usually spent most of the time talking to other people or watching the crowd, as she didn't find watching matches her form of entertainment. She didn't (at least to my knowledge) dislike the business because it kept me away; everyone has to go to work.

Q: Quick question for Q&A, who was your favorite guy to work with while in MB for Condello?

A: Don Callis, or Gerry Morrow.

Q: When Wade Barrett does "Wasteland" could it be reversed into a small package?

A: Not really, his head is on the wrong side of the guy's body.

Q: What nostalgia acts would you like to see?

A: Not really big on nostalgia acts.

Q: I like what WWE is doing with this anti- bullying stuff but isn't it a bit hypocritical?

A: Actors who play all kinds of horrible things on film and can do stuff like Be a Star and no one calls them hypocrites. Playing a Bully on TV and actually being a Bully are 2 different things.

Q: Have you ever been asked to be at the announce table with a live mic during a match during your WWE/WCW run? If so did you enjoy it?

A: I'm just curious here and don't mean to be a smart ass. In order to not know if I've done commentary at the desk, you must have not seen much if any of my career. If you haven't seen any of my career, why are you a fan of mine? I've done commentary a couple times and hated it. I probably felt much the same way that Jim Ross did when they made him wrestle a match. The Wrestling World is a much better place with JR calling the action and me providing it, not the other way around.

Q: What sort of a minimum physical requirement would you recommend before training at your school? I'm looking for things like being able to jog/run X amount of minutes or X amount of distance without stopping. Or recommending being able to life X amount in squats, or X amounts in your bench press, as examples.

A: I don't do this because everyone is different, depending on their size and personality levels. If you are very large and have a lot of personality you can get away with not being in as good of shape. If you are smaller and lacking in personality you have to be in great shape and be a tremendous athlete. I think if you are looking for minimum requirements you have the wrong attitude. You should be pushing yourself to be in the best shape you can be. Look at people in the business who are successful and about your size and compare their conditioning and athletic ability to your own.

Q: Does your wife read your website? I know she can just ask you things whenever she wants, but I think if my wife ran a site like yours, I would want to read about all the stories I never thought to ask for myself.

A: I think occasionally she does but doubt she reads much. I guess I could call her an annoying hag and find out. Wish me luck.

Q: If Cena ever turns heel, speaking as a fan what would you prefer to see? Would you want to see him go back to being a rapper? Lying chicken shit heel? Dominant killer heel?

A: I'm sorry but I really don't understand some people's grasp of this business. Why would one of the biggest, most muscular, and strongest guys in WWE play a "chicken shit"?

Q: Do you think one of the main problems WWE is having is that they cater to the WWE universe too much? Are they giving too much credit to the pops they hear on RAW and SmackDown? Those fans in the arena will always follow WWE, but the mainstream is obviously turned off if you go by the ratings and PPV buy rates. Would it be a bad idea if they did something that reached out more to the mainstream as opposed to just relying on what their core fan base likes?

A: What do you suggest? Reaching out to the main stream is a hell of a lot harder than just saying; hey you should reach out to the main stream. Why do you think they pushed Miz and had him doing the talk show circuit? They are trying, but you have to have something or someone to strike the right chord. Catering to their fan base is always a good strategy, and has very little to do with reacting to pops from live events. You are trying to break down a very complicated business plan into a couple terms people like to throw around on message boards. Life is not that simple.

Q: Did you ever watch the live matches Masato Tanaka and Mike Awesome had in late 1999 and what did you think of them?

A: I did not, or at least tried to avoid them. I've never liked guys killing each other in matches and thought it was the opposite of what this business is about.

Q: What is the most difficult thing you have ever tried to do in the ring?

A: Convince people I enjoyed doing the cabbage patch.

Q: What do you feel is the most painful wrestling move to be on the receiving end of? And are there any moves that you thought would hurt a lot but ended up not being very painful at all?

A: I get asked this all the time and it just illustrates most fans lack of understanding of this business. The move itself has far less to do with how much it hurts than the person delivery said move. I heel safer taking a choke slams from Undertaker than I do letting some people give me an arm wringer. This business has very little to do with "The Moves".

Q: Just read Jericho's book "Undisputed" where he talks about the WWE tour to India I believe around 2002/2003. What are your memories of this tour? How did you find the whole experience, the reaction of the fans in the arenas, recognition factor in public and the accommodations and travel conveniences (or lack thereof) in India?

A: I write about this extensively in "Storm Front: Tales from StormWrestling.com vol. 2" which will be available at Amazon.com in a few weeks. In addition to the commentary I wrote right after the trip I wrote quite a bit of new material about how horrible that trip was and the fall out once we got back.

Q: I just watched "The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior"-DVD, and it is very unflattering to Warrior. It made me wonder, though - if Warrior was such a horrible person and dangerous second rate worker, why would WWE push him all the way to the world title? Also, what do you think of The Ultimate Warrior?

A: I only had one personal interaction with him (Germany 1995) and it was not a pleasant one so I am not a fan of his. That said the DVD was meant to bury the guy and didn't make a lot of sense. It constantly talked about how horrible he was, yet the bottom line is they pushed the hell out of the guy, so they obviously liked him at the time.

Q: I have watched multiple seasons of Tough Enough and they seem to spend all of the training time on the physical part of wrestling and very little on how to give promos and get a character over. It seems to me that wrestlers are better in the ring than they have ever been but that the promos are not as good as they used to be. What kind of training do wrestlers receive in giving promos?

A: I would highly dispute that guys are better in the ring today than they have ever been. I think the problem with promos today is that guys are seldom given the chance to find themselves and develop their own promo skills before being told what to say, how to say it, and in what character to do it. Roddy Piper is one of the best promos of all time but I doubt if he was a star today and handed a new gimmick (that wasn't him) given a scripted promo to cut explaining a storyline that didn't make that much sense, he'd be able to pull it off all that well either.

Q: I have noticed WWE are producing films these days. After watching the movie The Wrestler, I got to thinking that WWE could produce a similar movie about something that happens inside of WWE. As someone who has worked in the business could you recommend a topic that they could use for the script?

A: This is a horrible idea in my opinion. I thought The Wrestler was a bad movie and we've pulled the curtain way too far back as it is, we don't need movies about backstage happenings in the business.

Q: I know Toronto isn't exactly "next door" but do you have any plans to attend the 2012 Royal Rumble as a fan this year?

A: It's in St. Louis.

Q: Have you ever caught the WWE Legends of Wrestling series available through Classics on Demand? Would you be open to sitting on the panel with names like JR, Pat Patterson, Michael Hayes, etc. to discuss various topics in pro wrestling?

A: Classics on Demand is not available where I am so I've never seen it. Would be more than happy to take part however; I love talking wrestling and doing so with guys like that would be a lot of fun.

Q: You have said "Wrestling Rule #1 - always bring your gear." Has there even been a time when you happened to show up without your gear and were asked to wrestle?

A: No, the only time I don't bring gear is when I have ZERO intentions of wrestling, and would not even consider it if asked.

Q: The first professional wrestling show I attended was WCW nitro in Melbourne, Australia. I recall being fascinated with the atmosphere of the event. I believe you were on the show. How do you recall your first wrestling show you went to? Was it an Indy show or a big scale production?

A: First event I ever attended was in North Bay, Ontario and it was a smaller promotion. A friend got tickets for Xmas and we went. On the card that I remember: Wayne Bloom, Mike Enos, Manny Fernandez, Wahoo McDaniels, Madusa Micelli, Pat Tanaka & Paul Diamond, The Midnight Rockers. The show started late because Bloom was late and in the opener. I still have the ticket stub from the event.

Q: I can see you in an Ultimate X match, would you do it? Their a bit scary.

A: Not now, but 10 years ago I would have.

Q: I'm watching a DVD with a Texas Bull Rope Match between Dusty Rhodes and Steve Corino in ECW from 1990. Did you ever meet Dusty or work with him in your career?

A: It would not have been 1990 ECW wasn't around back then and Corino wouldn't have even been in the business yet. I met Dusty when he was in for ECW the first time, and sat in a hotel lobby listening to him tell stories one night; a great experience. I have never actually worked with the man though.

Q: Is there any special protocol for approaching wrestlers who use a mask outside of the arena/show/etc. if they're not wearing their mask (provided you recognize them from tattoos or something else?) Obviously you'd use common sense (no approaching anybody at an airport at 6AM or at dinner with family or something), but is there any extra "rules" (for lack of a better term) for approaching those who wear masks when they're not wearing them?

A: Just be polite and friendly and most guys will be okay.

Q: Should wrestlers take breaks from television more often? This could make for more interesting returns and freshen up the product a bit.

A: Taking breaks means taking pay cuts, guys don't like those.

Q: Have any Calgary Stampeders expressed interest in training at your academy some day?

A: Not that I know of, if they have they never mentioned being with the Stamps.

Q: How much input (if any) do wrestlers have when it comes to what the announce team says about them during a match? If a wrestler has an idea for a line that he would like the announcers to use to put over his character or a spot in the match can he just go up to Cole or Lawler and ask them to say it? Or is all up to the announcers themselves, creative staff and/or Vince?

A: There are no hard and fast rules in wrestling on this or many other aspects of the business. If you have a good relationship with either of them you can certainly go ask them to say something, but it doesn't mean they will. Also it depends who you are. If Rock asks they likely will, Curt Hawkins asks not so much.

Q: I was wondering how royalty checks work when you appear on a DVD. Is there a standard amount that you receive or does it depend where you were located on the card? Also is it possible to live off royalty checks?

A: This isn't really anyone's business.

Q: Why aren't wrestlers required to attend acting classes? Or are they? Do you feel that at the very least an acting coach backstage at TV tapings giving feedback would help if not just a little?

A: I think they may do some of this now, but I contend the best bet is let the boys be themselves, then they don't need to act so much. Very little of what I did during my career, I would consider an act, or requiring of acting skills.

Q: Why don't they hire (preferably unknown) actors and comedians as managers and announcers? Good idea?

A: Bad idea, for countless reasons. You have to love and be into this business or you will be poor at it or tire of the schedule. Further more doing so is just going to open the door to SAG and other actor's unions that WWE likely wants to avoid.

Q: Can you provide us with some specifics in terms of politicking that goes on (or has gone on) backstage? I mean like the most common form that a fan/mark/smark would be unaware of?

A: None of your business. Some parts of the business are best kept inside the business.

Q: To my understanding there are two types of wrestling fan one that thinks its real and one that knows its not. To my understanding the first would be a "mark" and the latter a "smark" but from what I can tell some fans, wrestlers and ex-wrestlers use both as somewhat of a derogatory term i.e.: a mark is too stupid to know its real and smark is such a wrestling nerd that they know its not. Do I have my facts straight? (I recall a Raw where Jim Cornette shot on Eric Bischoff and called him a mark)

A: I think you are putting way too much thought into this and trying to label everyone in black and white terms. Everyone uses the terms differently and at the end of the day who cares. Enjoy the show: be a mark, be a smark, be a fan, be whatever, just enjoy the show.

Q: What are your thoughts on how the Intercontinental title is made to look when Cody Rhodes looses CLEAN to Randy Orton...ON PAY PER VIEW, is placed on a Survivor Series team where his captain isn't even a title holder, and also often looses matches regularly on TV?

A: They've been burying the US and IC Titles for years. Champs get pinned all the time; it's horrible but done all the time.

Q: I am convinced (sadly) that damn-near ANYONE could jump ship from WWE to TNA and it wouldn't make one bit of difference. That said, why doesn't Vince just let the boys and divas own their own names already?

A: You are right guys jumping ship would not help TNA; acquiring talent from WWE is not what TNA needs. That said Vince is a businessman and the more of his product he can own the more control he has, which is just smart business.

Q: Where do you think (not hope) Tyson Kidd's career is going in WWE?

A: I don't think about it. I have no control over it and it can all change in a heart beat. He'll get what he gets. He could be given a big push next week or released; I have no way of knowing so why think about it. I hope for the best for him but don't put any energy in trying to think what might happen.

Q: I would think that packing up, moving to Calgary to attend your wrestling school, all the while feeding and sheltering one's self while attending your wrestling school is quite a feat, especially considering the massive increase in food intake that I would assume your school would require. Do students of your school generally come from money/wealthy families? How do they live? Or do they hungry and broke while attending your school?

A: Everyone is different. You want to succeed it takes hard work. I worked 3 jobs before I moved to Calgary to train, in order to finance my goals. I held several jobs while here too. Success isnt' easy that's why not everyone achieves it.

Q: I understand and agree with WWE's decision to whitewash Chris Benoit from their history books. But do you think there'll ever come a time when they can acknowledge Nancy's contributions to the business? Or will her tragic end forever overshadow her career? It's impossible to think of her without thinking of Chris.

A: You're probably right; Nancy's career will likely fall by the wayside and be forgotten, as a result. I don't think she was a big enough player in the industry that her career story demands to be told so to avoid bringing up the tragic end to her life her career will probably not get the recognition it may deserve.

Q: I was just wondering if someone, like a Dibiase or a Piper or a Snuka, were to make an unannounced WrestleMania appearance, would they get a part of the WrestleMania bonuses that the advertised talent gets? I know an unannounced appearance can't help sell the initial PPV, but it can help sell subsequent viewings, and the DVD.

A: I would guess in a situation like that guys would get offered a flat price to do whatever WWE wanted them to do that night.

Q: Lance, as you"re someone who built your physique without the use of performance enhancing drugs, can you tell us about some (if any) other familiar names in wrestling who were also natural?

A: No I can't. It's not that others don't exist, it's a situation where we didn't sit around taking stock of who was and wasn't on something. I think I've only ever asked one person in the business if he had ever taken anything, and he said he had once. That person was Jericho and he admits to as much in his first book.

Q: In your commentary on Starrcade 88 you said you noticed Teddy Long looks younger these days than he did in 88, I have read that you said some wrestlers on the independent shows look too young. Society's obsession with youth is leading people to seem younger than they used to, Do wrestlers seem to young these days?

A: Many do in my opinion, but I doubt it has to do with society. I have no interest in watching kids fight; I want to see men fight. To me part of suspending my disbelief is being able to believe that said person could actually beat someone up. When they look like kids I can't do that.

Q: Are you at all disappointed that there's no Money In The bank ladder match at WrestleMania these days?

A: No I'd like them to ditch the concept and the match all together. It's dangerous and the MITB concept is played out and demeans the title, IMO.

Q: I notice Impact had a match using garbage can shots to the head, did you take those in ECW or WCW and, if so, did they provide the same kind of threats to the skull as chair shots?

A: I took a few in ECW yes. The lids are a lot lighter than chairs so the impact is considerably less. Force = Mass X Velocity. With likely less than 1/10th the mass of a chair the force of the blow is at least 10 times less. You actually can't swing them as fast either so the force is even less than that. Still not taking them is probably smart even still.

Q: In ECW, did you participate in the weapons matches where fans brought their own weapons, and were there any strange items you recall?

A: I seldom did matches with gimmick and none of the ones I did were stuff fans brought.

Q: Worse wrestling experience - Lebanon or the Manitoba Death Tours?

A: Lebanon, I never actually feared death on Death Tour.

Q: Do you ever get the feeling things don't last long in wrestling today? They talk about factions and title runs I barely remember, does everything seem to pass so quickly these days?

A: Yes programs all move too quickly now. The Monday Night Wars accelerated the industry to the point where it all happens so fast most is forgotten and even more ends up insignificant. Once the bar is raised it's hard to lower it back down afterwards.

Q: What would you consider your best televised match of your career, and what would you consider you worst?

A: I have no idea. I've never thought about it, and it would take too much effort to consider all of my TV matches now.

Q: Do you ever find that some fans for whatever reason feel that because they paid money for tickets to see you or buy your merchandise etc you "owe" them a response, autograph etc? My view is they may have tenuously "paid your wages" but you paid them back in full by risking your life each time you stepped in the ring.

A: Most fans are respectful, and those who aren't will never be happy, so I try not to worry about it. Agreed though while I appreciate fans buying tickets, as long as I worked hard and delivered on the show they attended, they got what they paid for, anything else is just a bonus.

Q: Currently Daniel Bryan is the world champion. Is this really believable? Look at the size of him compared to Big Show and Mark Henry. Can his in ring performance stand up to this?

A: It can be believable if booked properly.

Q: It is often said that the best characters in wrestling are based on the real personalities of the wrestlers portraying them (Steve Austin and JBL being two examples). Do you think Christian's successful year could be in part by letting his miserable personality shine like never before?

A: Christian has always been a great character. Any extra success he achieved last year was as a result of an over due push, nothing else.

Q: In a previous commentary, you said you spoke with Johnny Ace for 20 minutes discussing finishing moves for you to use in WCW before the US Title Tournament. What were some of the moves you guys talked about and do you remember why you decided against some of them?

A: I remember having the conversation and the result, I remember little else.

Q: The internet wrestling community puts a lot of hate on a number of people in the wrestling business from Russo to Cena. Some people probably deserve it while others probably don't. In your opinion, who gets the most grief from the internet, bust deserves it the least?

A: I don't care enough to give it much though. I think the term Internet Wrestling Community is a ridiculous term, and I am always annoyed when people throw around the term "hate". Just because you disagree with someone or not like what someone does or says, it doesn't mean you are "hating on them", or are a "hater". The Internet is just a forum for people to voice their opinions and that's all they are, opinions. Like who you want, dislike who you want, voice praise, or voice criticism, do as you wish, but remember its all opinion and means very little. And always remember that it's the Internet, so there is a good chance half of what you read is unreliable and the other half is untrue.

Lance Storm

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